Introducing the First University of South Carolina Press Friends Fund Book, State of the Heart: South Carolina Writers on the Places They Love. This collection brings together more than thirty regionally and nationally recognized writers from across the Palmetto State to share their love of place and their connections to our state's past and present.

"State of the Heart reminds us of what is best about South Carolina and her many gifted writers, the monumental power of this place to shape our memories into stories and then our stories into art."—Pat Conroy, from the foreword

"State of the Heart is a rich collection of personal stories, reflections, historical facts and front porch yarns as colorful, timeless and inspiring as the people and landscape of the Palmetto State. This heartfelt book is a must-read for everyone lucky enough to have been born here or who now calls South Carolina home."—Mary Alice Monroe, New York Times bestselling author, Beach House Memories

Join the Friends of the University of South Carolina Press Today to Be a Part of Friends Fund Books in the Future. The Friends of the Press are essential in promoting and supporting the mission of the University of South Carolina Press, to positively impact the lives of readers and researchers through expertly written, edited, and designed print and electronic books published by the Palmetto State's flagship university. Through tax-deductible donations, Friends help the Press educate and inspire serious readers around the globe.

Why Your Support Is Needed
The University of South Carolina Press receives a portion of its annual budget from our parent university and earns the balance in revenues generated from the sale of books in both print and electronic formats. As a not-for-profit publisher of high quality books of scholarly and regional interest, the Press also depends on support from organizations and individuals. As a Friend of the Press, your tax-deductible annual gift will help us publish Friends Fund Books, like State of the Heart, that generate revenue to help publish new books, reprint titles, adapt to new technological innovations, provide learning experiences for students interested in publishing, and enhance the research and outreach missions of the University of South Carolina. Your gifts at higher levels more directly sponsor these critical activities of the Press.